He believes John Proctor's story about his indisgression with Abigail. He believes that Abigail and the other girls are lying. So, when the court goes against his advise to accept John's testimony, he quits the court, meaning he removes himself from his duties as a court official.

He then goes to the prison and tries to convince those convicted of witchcraft to confess. He knows at this point that a confession would be a lie, but he would sooner see them lie than be hanged for a crime they did not commit.

When Proctor is arrested Hale denounce the proceedings. He does this because he had enough with this nonsense of innocent people being arrested because these children are accusing other's when they are lying but no one steps up about when they also know that these children are lying too.